Elastomeric insulating covers for crimp sleeve type wire joints are known. Examples are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,139,481 and 3,107,273.
These types of insulators are particularly adapted for wire joints in which the ends of two or more wires are stripped of insulation and brought together pointing in generally the same direction. A generally tubular or bell shaped crimp sleeve, usually made of a conductive metal such as copper or a copper alloy, is then slipped over the wire ends and crimped thereto using a pliers-like tool to secure the wire ends together. The insulating cover is usually molded of an elastomeric material and has a cap and an elastic strap extending from the open end of the cap. The cap is placed over the crimp sleeve and the strap is pulled into the crotch between the wires. The end of the strap opposite from the cap has a ring or other means to attach to the cap so as to secure the insulating cover over the wire joint.
These types of covers are fast and easy to use, can be removed, and can be reused. However, there are many different size crimp sleeves which may be used, depending upon the size and number of wires to be joined. In the past, for a tight fitting cover, it was necessary to make a different insulating cover for each different size crimp sleeve. Otherwise, if the same cover was used for two different sizes, it would be loose on the smaller of the two sizes, which is undesirable for the electrical integrity of the joint since dirt or other possibly conductive foreign matter could readily enter the cover with a loose fit, and also for the appearance of the covered joint. This required keeping a relatively large inventory of different covers on hand, and resulted in increased tooling and distribution costs. Therefore, a need exists for an insulating cover which can be used with more than one size crimp sleeve.